Nori Rolls with Vegetables (Printer-friendly)

Fresh seaweed rolls with crisp vegetables, creamy avocado, and sprouts. Ready in 20 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium cucumber, julienned
02 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
03 - 1 cup mixed sprouts (alfalfa, radish, or broccoli)
04 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, julienned

→ Assembly

06 - 8 sheets nori (roasted seaweed)
07 - 2 cups cooked sushi rice, optional
08 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
10 - Soy sauce or tamari, for dipping
11 - Pickled ginger and wasabi, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - If using sushi rice, combine cooked rice with rice vinegar and allow to cool to room temperature before assembly.
02 - Place a sheet of nori with shiny side down on a bamboo sushi rolling mat or clean kitchen towel.
03 - Apply a thin, even layer of prepared rice over the lower third of the nori sheet, maintaining approximately 0.75 inch border at the top edge.
04 - Distribute cucumber, avocado, sprouts, carrot, and bell pepper in a horizontal line across the rice layer. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
05 - Using the mat as support, roll the nori tightly over the fillings in one smooth motion, pressing gently to compress. Seal the top edge with a light water dampening if needed.
06 - Repeat the rolling process with remaining nori sheets and filling ingredients to produce 8 total rolls.
07 - Using a sharp knife moistened with water, slice each roll into bite-sized pieces, wiping the blade between each cut for clean edges.
08 - Arrange sliced rolls on a serving platter. Accompany with small bowls of soy sauce or tamari, pickled ginger, and wasabi for individual customization.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You can make these in under 20 minutes without any cooking, which means no heat in your kitchen on warm days.
  • They taste restaurant-quality but cost a fraction of what you'd pay for takeout, and honestly, yours will be fresher.
  • This is the rare recipe where you can completely customize every single ingredient to match what you have on hand or what you're craving.
02 -
  • If your nori is falling apart or won't seal, it's either too old or your rice is still warm—both are fixable, and neither means you've failed.
  • The damp knife is not optional if you want rolls that look intentional; dry knife equals shredded edges that taste fine but feel disappointing.
  • Don't press down too hard when rolling or you'll squeeze all the moisture out of your vegetables and create a dense brick instead of a roll.
03 -
  • Buy your nori from an Asian market if possible—it's fresher, cheaper, and the quality difference is noticeable the moment you open the package.
  • If you're making these for a crowd, set up an assembly line with all ingredients prepped and ready; people love rolling their own, and you'll finish twice as fast.
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